| It seems that most studies of teaching | | | | can help. If a student has a printed |
| spelling begin at the same place: a | | | | list of the 100 or 200 most common words |
| child's understanding of communication | | | | in his writing folder it will serve as a |
| begins with sound. From infancy they are | | | | reference source until the correctly |
| surrounded by sounds, which become | | | | spelled word can be visualized. |
| words. As they are exposed to printed | | | | One of the important components of |
| text, they learn to associate phonemes, | | | | teaching spelling is discussion of |
| the sounds they here with graphemes, the | | | | spelling patterns. All of the lessons we |
| visual representation of those words. | | | | learned about long A's and short A's |
| Toddlers who are exposed to the alphabet | | | | still apply. Showing a classroom that ea |
| are usually fascinated with the letters. | | | | and ee both produce the long E sound |
| Once they have learned the names of the | | | | will help a student sound words out and |
| letters, they can begin to invent | | | | also narrow the possibilities for |
| spellings. | | | | spelling an unfamiliar word. |
| Students entering the first grade will | | | | Some of us are born spellers; some born |
| have developed their invented spelling. | | | | mis-spellers. It seems to be as simple |
| At this grade level when they begin to | | | | as that, although dyslexia seems to be |
| read, teaching spelling becomes a | | | | much more common than originally thought |
| critical part of the process. Reading | | | | when it was first diagnosed. By the |
| along with a spoken text will extend | | | | middle of the elementary grades, it will |
| their grasp of letters and help them | | | | be clear that spelling ability varies |
| understand the complexities of certain | | | | greatly among students and that often it |
| sounds and their related spellings. | | | | has little to do with native |
| Teaching spelling begins with lots of | | | | intelligence. |
| reading. If the student needs help, | | | | At this juncture, the most important |
| that's just encouragement to keep on | | | | traits for teaching spelling are |
| reading. Hand in hand with this early | | | | patience and compassion. It is important |
| process is frequent writing assignments. | | | | to keep away or take away any stigma |
| Made up spellings are the precursor to | | | | associated with the problem. |
| correct spellings, but the student has | | | | Teaching spelling to problem spellers |
| to be comfortable with the process. | | | | may become a process of teaching the |
| A suggested website to check out is: | | | | importance of proofreading. That's not a |
| Transitioning to proper spelling is | | | | common process with elementary and |
| another critical point in the process of | | | | secondary students but it may become an |
| teaching spelling. Reading helps, but it | | | | important one for a student who |
| is not the complete answer since English | | | | struggles with spelling. |
| is only partially phonetic. Rote memory | | | | |